P. W. WIDENGREN WINS THE NORWEGIAN G.P.

P. W. WIDENGREN WINS THE NORWEGIAN G.P.

ALFA-ROMEO VICTORY IN FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON—BUGATTI TURNS OVER BUT DRIVER UNINJURED— GOOD SINGER PERFORMANCE.

THE first European motor-race of 1935 Was the Grand Prix of Norway, held on the 10th of February. Last year’s course at Lillehammer was considered too far from Oslo, so a new circuit was mapped out on the Bogstad Estate, only 10 kilometres from the capital. Lillehammer was 150 kilometres, and the difference in the size of the crowd certainly justified the choice of the K.N.A. The circuit was actually a lake, frozen over to a depth of some 16 inches, and the competitors had to cover

a 5 kilometre lap twenty times.

The organisers were fully prepared for a big crowd, and everything went off smoothly and quietly ; cars were parked in orderly fashion and the coach service functioned admirably. There was a good deal of disappointment that some of the well-known drivers from the South could not be persuaded to enter, for only Hans Ruesch, the Swiss independent, made the journey to Norway with his Maserati. P. W. Widengren was firm favourite, for he has seldom been beaten in iceracing, and was the winner of the race at

Lillehammer last year. Against him were ranged Ruesch, Bjornstad (Alfa-Romeo)„ Isberg and Sunstedt (Bugattis), and Karl Ebb (Mercedes-Benz). Running true to form, Widengren took the lead from the start, and was never headed throughout the entire race. He drove calmly and precisely, building up a substantial lead.

If Widengren looked a certain winner, the crowd were compensated in the matter of thrills by a terrific duel between their fellow Norwegian, Eugen Bjornstad (AlfaRomeo 2.3 litres) and Karl Ebb, the Finlander (Mercedes-Benz 7 litres), At last Bjornstad’s tyres developed trouble, and he was forced right back. This left Ebb to take second place, with Ruesch third, a half-minute behind. Then came Isberg’s Bugatti, followed by Bjornstad’s Alfa-Romeo, and a hotted-up Ford driven by the Finlander Einar Alm. Isberg had been delayed with elusive mechanical trouble, while the remaining Bugatti, driven by the well-known Swedish competitor K. G. Sundstedt, got into a wild slide and overturned on the

fifth lap at the south corner. The driver was luckily unhurt.

After the racing cars had finished their battle, a sports car event took place. Again a runaway victory was recorded, this time by Arvid Johansen, on a Winfield Special. Johansen was freely tipped as the winner, and he did not disappoint the crowd, coming in 1 m. 12 secs. ahead of the next man. Second place was taken by a Singer, in the hands of a Norwegian named Rourad Bryde, who finally got the better of Gurar Thorsell, of Sweden, with a Chevrolet Special. A Ford and a Fiat brought up the rear.

NORWEGIAN GRAND PRIX.

Racing. too kilornetres.

1. P. W. Widengren (Alfa-Romeo), 50 in. 5.8 secs. 2. X. Ebb (Mercedes-Benz), 53 tn. 2 sem

3. H. Ruesch (Maserati), 54 m. 29 secs.

4. J. E. Isberg (Bugatti), 55 in. 28 secs.

5. E. Bjornstad (Alfa-Romeo), 50 8130 secs.

6. E. Alm (Ford Special), 59 in. 14 secs.

Sports. 100 kilometres.

1. A. Johansen (Winfield Special), 1 h. 5 sees.

2. R. Bryde (Singer), 1 h. 1 tn. 17 secs.

3. 0. Thorsell (Chevrolet Special), 1 h. 4 m.12 sees.

4. 0. Anderson (Ford), 1 h. 6 tn. 18 sees.

5. S. Belling (Fiat), 1 h. 6 in. 11 secs.